If you look at W & G Grand Day Out the flame from the match is an in camera trick, its made from red and gold foil cut in the shape of a flame. Try different size flame cut-outs and move them around each frame to create that jumping flame effect, you will also need to get your lighting right to get the desired effect.

Stick to your guns connor, Aardman used to always work at pains to do all effects in camera and i believe they still do.

Have you ever seen a house being burnt in a cartoon, flames coming out of the windows ,doors, roof etc all jagged, then it turns all chared and black then in a second collapses to the ground like a handfull of matches.

Sometimes you can lose the fun if you go to real.

bigballbubblehead and anti-pesto are only expressing there opinion as i am, the choice is yours at the end of the day.

i have REALLY good way for the effect of lighting a match... it is SCOTCHLITE it is actually used for road signs but when light is shone directly onto it then it goes really bright and since it is sticky back plastic you can cut it and shape it into the designs that you want

In CGI, you have to use dynamics and effects and go to fire and set it up to how you want it to look. Really good Maths skills required and I'm NOT a Mathematician so in my opinion it's really hard, but you get used to it. However, I don't know anything about stop-motion flames.

The explosion was done by having a lamp set low down and having it set up with a dimmer switch, this I slowly turned up the intensity on frame by frame, when played back at normal speed you have your explosion.
If I remember correctly I also cut jagged (like pointed flames) circle shapes (bands) out of red and gold decorating paper these were supported at the back by wire, these would have been placed at various points of the explosion to give it that cartoon like look.

Very Good, Now I Have Done, Done What? Your Thinking. Well Cavor I Have Looked Through All Your Site, Very Interesting And I Love The BTS Images! Great Site, I Like The Weight Lifting Animation. Keep It Up, You Could Be Big, Can You Tell Me How To Make A Mould For Something! I Dont Know!

Harry what do you mean I could be big! I am big! I ate all the minced pies!!....... sorry festive joke!!
Thanks for the comments
Im glad you liked the Behind The Scenes stuff, I've been trying to encourage people to post their stuff on this site, it helps every one.

Anyway Moulds you want to know, ok the type I make are best for hands, head & feet.

Press mould for hands

Carefully sculpt your hands.

Next you will need a non porous board on this board make 2 plasticine circular walls about 25mm high and say 80mm round.
Now get some thin ali wire 50mm long (2 pieces per hand) place through middle of the mould wall one at 12 o'clock and the other at 6 o'clock, while doing this you need to place one of your hands in the mould one end of the wire goes into the top of the index finger and the other piece of wire goes into the centre of the wrist, this is to support the hand while casting.

Now repeat with other hand, sounds tricky it is but the results are great.

Next you will need to make up enough casting plaster (I use Plaster of paris a lot of the time) for 2 half moulds,
Pour plaster gently around sides of hands tapping on the board rigorously to even out plaster and to release any air bubbles, make sure you only pour plaster up to half way.

Repeat with other hand in same way.

When the plaster has been set for about15-20mins get an old table knife (round tip) and with a twisting action sculpted out 2 small dish or scoop like shapes either side of the hands again repeat on other mould.
The scooped holes are to give a location key for the top plate.

Once the bottom press plates are dry (after 5hrs or over night) you will need to lightly wipe a release wax (I use clear shoe polish) over the plastered surface.
Then like before make enough plaster for the 2 remaining halves, pour over the top of the hands and bottom plaster sections, again tamper the boards so to release any trapped air bubbles.
Leave to dry for a minimum of 2hrs or over night.

Next you will need to remove the pasticine from around the moulds and with an old table knife score around the seam, now gently prise the 2 halves of you mould apart.

If you are finding this process hard to imagine refer back to my page on my website the one with The Weight Lifting Animation BTS images.

Well, I Need To Look At It Abit More I Havent Even Started Modelmaking, As You See In Cracking Animation Book On Modelmaking Wat How Do They Make The Top So It Can Be Changed, Is It Rubber Clay, How Do Them Make The Inside

Thanks for the pictures, I understand now!!
It nice to know the tricks of the trade! Wallace and Gromit really have started something, stop motion can be so much fun!!
Everybody keep up the great work.

Harry you quoted
" Well, I Need To Look At It Abit More I Havent Even Started Modelmaking, As You See In Cracking Animation Book On Modelmaking Wat How Do They Make The Top So It Can Be Changed, Is It Rubber Clay, How Do Them Make The Inside
"
The first picture of Wat is layed in clay the sides would then be built up with card wood or even plasticene, next plaster would be pour and left to dry.
When the plaster is dry the bottom half of the mould which at this stage is made of plasticene can be pulled away, next you repeat the first stage of the process on this half.
when the plaster is set you can prise the 2 halves apart.

The finished puppet is moulded using foam latex this is really for the professionals!